Fourth of July

Fireworks booming outside my window

Oh, sometimes it drives me insane

The way the leftovers of it die down like rain

Hitting the area, not allowing sleep

The constant reminder of holidays gone wrong

Let me sleep, before I start to hate you for good

I understand the story behind the fourth of July

All the people who died, all people lost

Just please, be cautious of others around

In vain our heroes would die

If none of today rest tonight

Happy fourth of July!

Reviews

[That1Nerd23]

I really like this. I feel much the same in ways. I especially like, "the constant reminder of holidays gone wrong" because for me, holidays cause stress. My family causes me stress, specifically when my family gets together. Sometimes I even feel sad, because I think of all that has changed since we were all children. Sometimes I feel envious knowing that the people shooting the fireworks off are having more fun then me and my lack of excitment/entertainment makes me irritated. I'll give this poem a 85/100. It was expressive which I enjoyed very much.

[Ace Jaxon]

Thank you, and that was kinda what I was feeling like, and I'm going to deal with fireworks all week.

[That1Nerd23]

Headphones and good music may be able to solve the problem. :)

[Ace Jaxon]

Yep!!!! :)

[Davidgeo]

You are the Ebenezer Scrooge of the 4th of July holiday. And what's the "story behind the poem"? Do you have some underground knowledge no one else in America has? Are you referring to accidents people have had setting off fireworks? Are you referring to the soldiers who died in the revolutionary war? I was a soldier, I've been to a war where many people died in vain... if you think the revolutionary war's soldiers sacrifice is in any way comparable to modern warfare post ww2 you might want to take your own advice and learn the story behind those wars.

Your poem is, whatever, it is what it is... it's an honest opinion so more power to you. However, your "author's note" makes you sound so defensive that it's hard to "take it with a light-heart". Just let your poem stand on it's own, you don't have to tell us all that you have a right to post your opinions, we all already know that. But you seem to forget that's a two way street ... saying you have the right to post your opinions and then saying "I will delete this poem if all I receive is hate" is hypocritical and immature. If you post something or say something publicly you have to be able to take the criticism, if you can't you should probably keep it to yourself. What you mean to say, is that on this poem, only you have the right to post unfiltered honest opinions... anyone who doesn't respond the way you wanted means you get to delete it so no one can read it. I hope you can see the hypocrisy in your expectation/threat of deletion... kinda like a kid who takes her toys and goes home when she doesn't get her way in the public sandbox.

[Ace Jaxon]

Sometimes people have to learn things the hard way, and unfortunately that's the only way I learn, on the brighter note I've even learned something from you. And, in fact I am going to remove the author's note, the only reason it was there was because of a misunderstanding. The reason it says take it with a light heart is because I didn't understand what someone had said. I'm only just learning how to take constructive-criticism, and in fact this whole ordeal was my first time dealing with it. The story I was referring to isn't the history, but why I don't seem excited about the 4th of July and that was cleared up already and I gave out my apologies.

[Ace Jaxon]

But doesn't Ebenezer end up enjoy the holidays. I actually just wanted to present a different view about the 4th of July, and that was hard to convey. I believe that sometimes during all holidays us as a people are extremely rumbustious. I enjoy the holiday, I just wish people from where I'm from would celebrate it differently for once..

[Ace Jaxon]

I believe that soldiers today fight in vain because of all the people who died for their freedom. Honestly, I misworded a lot of things and regret that, but I understand what I've done wrong and am trying to fix the mistake.

[Davidgeo]

I think you know what I meant with the Scrooge reference. Anyway, the view you presented is that people should celebrate the holidays according to your wishes... That is not a realistic expectation, it is a narcissistic and selfish expectation. The world around you doesn't adapt to you, it does not revolve around your individual personal preferences... that's not how a free society works. Far, far, far more people love to celebrate the fourth of july holiday than don't; expecting things to change with that in mind is not rational and the sooner you adapt your expectations accordingly the better chance you will have at enjoying things as they are instead of getting frustrated over them not being just what you want them to be.

[Ace Jaxon]

I'm only presenting my opinion, and I'm not expecting people to stop celebrating it the way they are, I just don't enjoy loud celebrations. I'm not going to be realistic about certain things because there's no imagination in that. I'm just learning my way through life right now, and the way you're wording your sentences isn't constructive towards the writing any more, and now is just you explaining what you think is wrong how I live my life. Every thing you've said I've understood, but why do you say I hate a holiday just because I celebrate it differently. I'm not trying to be selfish, and honestly I want to be the opposite. If you want to help me as a person, then explain how I can better myself to everyone's standards.

[Ace Jaxon]

It's obvious I need help with being like you and everyone else, so why not solve this and help.

[Davidgeo]

Yes, I am critiquing your expectations and not your writing. I've been doing that for the past several responses. I'm not calling you names, I'm not saying anything unreasonable or even anything that isn't already obvious. Like I said before, this is a public forum... whatever you put out in a public forum be it your writing, your personality, your logic, etc. - it's all fair game. If you're too sensitive to handle that without getting personally offended don't respond to it. There are mature ways to handle things and then there are immature ways to handle things. You constantly choose the latter by constantly deflecting responsibility for your own words and constantly playing the "you're mean" card simply for pointing out what is painfully obvious... If you're too sensitive to handle other people's opinions but still feel the need to express yours just turn the option for reviewing off and stop sending read requests. You can't have it both ways... that's not how free speech works.

[Ace Jaxon]

But if I do that then I can't hear what other's think of my work, and I don't see any reason to write if no one wants to read it, and I am the fool in this. You obviously see that, so why take advantage of someone that doesn't have the same experience and wisdom as you do? I ask out of curiosity, to put it simply I am stupid beyond belief in your eyes. Honestly, I enjoy learning how to react, and how to handle situations. I came to this public forum to share my writing and get feed back, I always understood that not everyone will like my work. I know you're not calling me names, I just think that the way you're critiquing my expectations as you put it, is actually more immature than what I'm doing because I simply am immature, and that's clear as day.

[Ace Jaxon]

You're expectations for me, someone you don't even know are yours, not mine, so what you're saying about how I'm personally messed up is slightly the same for you because our expectations are different and you want mine to be like yours?

[Davidgeo]

Ugh... you aren't understanding what I'm trying to convey. Whether willfully or naively you continue to be oblivious, it's become irrelevant to me. Some people just can't be helped, for whatever reason... I no longer care. Good luck in your future endeavors.

[Ace Jaxon]

No I simply just wanted you to leave me alone.

[Davidgeo]

Wish granted...

[Ace Jaxon]

Thank you, and I'm sorry about continuing the conversation when I should have just ignored it because I'm sensitive.

[Ace Jaxon]

I've learned that sometimes, I need to take other's opinions into consideration, and to look back and try to comprehend people better.

[Davidgeo]

Yeah, sure. That's totally believable. Are you done now?

[Ace Jaxon]

No because I'm confused as to why you tried to help me in the first place, it's obvious I'm annoying.

[Davidgeo]

You are confusing "help" with "critique". I'm not specifically trying to help you, I don't really have a stake in you staying naïve and ignorant to the realities of free speech and open discourse. But I will point out obvious fundamental flaws in logic whenever I see them. The reason you confused my general critique with helping you specifically is probably because you have a narcissistic personality disorder.

[Ace Jaxon]

you do realize I'm not as old as you right? And it's natural for my age to be over emotional , and want attention right? I'm not a logical person, I value everything else before logic and common sense.

[Davidgeo]

You can't make excuses all the time. Own your flaws, take responsibility for them or you will never over come them. Just because you're young doesn't make you immune from criticism.

[Ace Jaxon]

And if you think I might have a narcissistic personality disorder, do you also believe the only thing I care about is myself?

[Davidgeo]

I'm not really interested in talking to you anymore. It's like talking to a brick wall.

[...]

I have quiet simulate feelings from last night. We have also quiet close this explosions sounds. It make quiet anxies . My nature is quite shy and I don't like noise etc. I think it's good you express your feelings and you express them well and thats what matter. Some people here can be quiet hateful. I am soory you experienced this. I hope you are okay. All the best and keep writing .

[Ace Jaxon]

Thanks, and I'll be fine

[Chris Shaw]

Fireworks for me mean celebrations. I wasn't picking this up at all in your poem. Guess you aren't celebrating so much.

Chris

[Ace Jaxon]

I knew that there was going to be some back lash from posting this poem, but when you are trying to sleep at 2 am, and fireworks are still going off and a dog is barking in the house next to you, you get cranky. Don't get me wrong I love fireworks, it just so happens that my house is right next to the beach where the shot fireworks off, and my neighbors did too.

[Chris Shaw]

It isn't backlash, it is interpretation of what you wrote. You obviously weren't having a good time and you have just confirmed that. So I would say that you portrayed your emotional state well :))

[Ace Jaxon]

I understand, but please in the future be careful how you word an interpretation because I almost deleted the whole poem because of the reviews on it. I only wanted to share how I was feeling about fireworks going off all week 24/7.

[Chris Shaw]

You my friend are too sensitive by far. You shared your feelings and poets responded, and NOT in a negative way. perhaps it is you who needs to be more careful.

[Gee]

You read my mind Christine :)

[Ace Jaxon]

I'm sorry, I've already had a lot of people I know personally read it and give me hate about it. And of course I'm over sensitive by far, but then again how many young teens do you know that aren't. I'm only learning how to respond and the small things hurt so please don't tell me how I should and should not respond.

[Chris Shaw]

I live with teenagers, three of them. There has been no hate in either of the responses that poets have given you. YOU asked me to read your poem, I did that for you and left a review. Perhaps if you feel that way it would be better if you didn't ask any more favours.

[Gee]

Yet you are telling others how to, or not to respond. Hmm, that ain't gonna work now is it ??

[Ace Jaxon]

Fine, if you don't agree with the way I responded, then just don't read anything that I write ever again.. You say there isn't hate, and yeah to you there isn't but to me there is.. So I'm sorry that I'm stupid and don't know everything yet... And I'm sorry that I told you it would be more polite to respond with stuff less relating to the writer, and I'm sorry to quote this but " Guess you..." which is what you wrote bothered me, so please just stop.. I'm sorry I even mentioned that I had a bad time on the 4th, and I'm sorry I misunderstood you..

[Chris Shaw]

If you are apologising for misunderstanding my review, then of course I accept that apology. I assure you that there was not the slightest bit of hate in anything I said. I am not that sort of person.

[Davidgeo]

If you can't take the criticism don't publicly share your opinions, it's that simple. This is a public discourse, in a public discourse you don't get to decide for them how other people react to it. That's intellectually dishonest.

[Ace Jaxon]

I can take criticism, but it's when I misunderstand or think it's directed to me personally is where I misinterpret, and can't handle it. It's not the criticism that I don't know how to handle, It's what I think it's saying.

[Davidgeo]

That's the same thing. At the end of the day... you are too sensitive to properly handle criticism. Who cares if strangers are criticizing you on the internet? Either you're confident in your opinion's, secure in who you are, and mature enough to realize what really matters or you're not. At this time, with that mindset.... you are not.

[sette]

fireworks for me signals positive thoughts and hope and that is also what i wish for you